Monday, August 26, 2013

Top 10 Trending Smart Gadgets

Digital Cutting Board

 Yanko Design


The Almighty Board is the ultimate kitchen assistant. This smart-board will simultaneously serve as your cutting board, display your recipes, provide step-by-step directions and weigh your ingredients out for you. After you wash it, it will even tell you if it has been cleaned enough to avoid cross-contamination or food poisoning. If only it could do the dishes too!
Designer: Jaewan Jeong

FOOD & WINE

Best Sandwiches in the U.S. includes

Portland, OR: Bunk Sandwiches 

 

Photo © David Reamer.

Sandwich: Oregon Albacore Tuna Melt
At Bunk, co-chefs Tommy Habetz and Nick Wood reinvent iconic American foods. That means transforming biscuits and gravy into a sandwich filled with braised rabbit leg, or preparing luscious melts, like this version packed with locally canned albacore and finished with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Tillamook cheddar. bunksandwiches.com

 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Secret Rooms

Don't we love the idea of secret rooms? If building from scratch, I would have a secret room in the library with a rotating door or a secret room behind the fireplace. Inthralled has an article titled Hidden Gems: 15 Houses With Secret Rooms. 


It's fascinating to see what others have come up with to hide their secrets.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

TRAVEL + LEISURE

Best French Restaurants in the U.S. includes

David Reamer

 

Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Carnivores and adventurous eaters will appreciate chef Gabriel Rucker’s creations, which add whimsy and decadence to traditional French recipes. Beef-cheek bourguignonne, rabbit-in-a-pig-blanket, and foie gras profiteroles are among the quirky edibles. The chef’s counter puts diners ringside in the busy kitchen, and the brick-wall dining room’s three communal tables are often filled with both locals and international clientele. Le Pigeon’s first cookbook comes out in September 2013—for you try-it-at-home types.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

FOOD & WINE

Best Taco Spots includes

Portland, OR: ¿Por Que No? 

 

 

One bite into a taco in the Mexican town of Morelia and Bryan Steelman had an epiphany: Why not open a taqueria of his own? The resulting ¿Por QuĂ© No? (“Why not?” in Spanish) now pulls out-the-door lines with stellar tacos that emphasize local ingredients: house-made chorizo made from pork from nearby Carlton Farms, chipotle-rubbed chicken from Draper Farms in Washington. porquenotacos.com
Photo © Bryan Steelman.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

F&W Bucket List

Best Summer Restaurants includes:

Bowpicker Fish & Chips; Astoria, OR

 

Photo courtesy of Bowpicker

  

At Bowpicker in Astoria, fish and chips means albacore tuna. Beer-battered, it crisps up golden and, once bitten into, gently separates into meaty, steaming flakes. Served with steak fries, vinegar and tartar sauce, it's all you'll find at this fishing-boat-turned-kitchen—a former gillnet trawler that almost looks like it ran aground. Bowpicker stays open through the winter, but given the picnic-table seating and the near-constant threat of bad weather in cooler months, warmer times are the better bet. bowpicker.com

TRAVEL + LEISURE

America's Best Outdoor Restaurants includes

Bridgewater Bistro, Astoria, OR

 

Seafood items like Pacific Bay oyster shooters and Scandinavian-style pickled herring reign supreme at Bridgewater Bistro, a former cannery along the Columbia River. From the deck seating at the edge of the harbor, you can see Washington across the way while enjoying one of nearly 30 wines by the glass. When the weather gets chilly, there’s no need to head indoors—just request one of the complimentary lap blankets. bridgewaterbistro.com

Noble Rot, Portland, OR


John Q. Porter, JQP Design

For one of the best views of Portland’s iconic White Stag sign, head to Noble Rot’s fourth-story patio, one of the only restaurants with a skyline view—let alone one that faces the sunset every night. The LEED Platinum building has its own 3,000-square-foot rooftop garden, whose ingredients find their way into dishes like the Roof Salad, which tosses seasonal produce in a pickled rhubarb vinaigrette. Pair it with one of the restaurant’s 40-plus wines by the glass. noblerotpdx.com

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Salon Features The Look Of Metal


The AP writes about the new look of brass, copper, bronze and nickel in this fall's decor.

The finishes are warm, without the kitschy clash of some previous go-rounds. You'll see these softer, richer-looking metals -- joining gold and silver on the decor stage -- as accents on accessories, as furniture embellishment and as a brushed finish on textiles.

It's a classic look that can work in both traditional and contemporary spaces.
The new catalog from Bernhardt has just arrived and featured is Salon. A taste of Salon is featured here:






We invite you to browse the catalog of Bernhardt's Salon.

Friday, August 09, 2013

New Items From Our Lines

From Uttermost:



Arig Candleholder
Cat: 19368
Size: 6" w x 6" d x 14.5" h; 

From Raschella Home Decor, Inc.



Mirror with Bevel - #3
Cat: MFD0013466
Size: 60" x 100"
Finish: Antique Gold Leaf

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Impressions on Purposeful Entryways, Hallways and Foyers



Photo via The Enchanted Home.

Your first impression upon entering a home will most likely stay with you throughout your entire visit.  Perhaps without even being aware of it, you'll take in the decor, admire (or grimace) at the style of furniture, unique accent items, artwork, lighting, and an array of other details put together by its owner.

Photo via The Enchanted Home.

A home's entrance and foyer can be quickly dismissed in design plans, as it is too often passed through hurriedly throughout the day.  However, it can potentially be one of the greatest and memorable spaces in a home.  Not only does this area greet your guests as they enter your home, but what you will arrive to after a hectic day of facing the outside world.  The space then, should signal a comforting refuge, and whatever you encounter there should feel like a warm welcoming.


You may keep things as simple or as elaborate as you wish, but if there’s one thing to keep in mind, it is that this area will be your first visual and “feel” for the rest of the home.  A beautiful console and bench may be all that you find necessary for your entryway.  Add a few accents such as vibrant potted plants, an accent mirror and lighting to brighten and widen the space.  As you'll be passing through the entrance more frequently than other areas of the home, allow sufficient space for foot traffic, and designate storage space for items frequently used when coming and going.  For example, if you live in an area with frequently changing weather patterns, you may wish to provide an umbrella holder and coat rack near the doorway.  By appointing storage areas for articles based on your lifestyle, you'll be able to fully appreciate the convenience this space has to offer.

Photo via freshome.com.

Photo via Home Designing.

Hallways are other areas of the home that are commonly overlooked.  However small these less lived-in areas may be, they can potentially become noteworthy passageways that connect spaces together, and this connection can contain just as much meaning as any other area in the home.

Photo via Home Design Love.

Photo via Home Design Love.

As hallways tend to be narrower areas, the dĂ©cor and furniture pieces you choose to place within it should be selected with care.  Be sure to allow plenty of walk-through space and do consider the dimensions of furnishings prior to purchasing.  Since hallways connect rooms together, you may wish to use them as extensions to those rooms, and continue with similar themes and design elements.

Photo via Home Design Love.

The hallway above is an awe-inspiring example of blending elegant, modern decor with efficient design.  To keep the area airy and spacious, lighting is built flush with the ceiling which creates a clean and minimal aesthetic. This also cleverly highlights the focus below:  an unforgettable compact lily pond.  The self-contained pond imparts a tranquility that sets the ambiance for the rest of the space.  This magnificent hallway is further illuminated by transparent pedestals lit from the bottom, and each one displays a simple, yet elegant floral arrangement.


So before dismissing any area of the home simply for lack of space, re-imagine these areas as purposeful and inspiring greeters, connectors, and passageways for the special people who pass through them.  To quote British architect and furniture designer, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings: “Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.”


Take a look at this updated look at entryways with this article from 

Designrulz: Entryway Bench Ideas

Friday, August 02, 2013

FOOD & WINE

World's Best Food Markets includes

Portland, OR: Portland Saturday Farmers' Market

 

What started in the early-’90s with only a dozen vendors has grown into locavore heaven with hundreds of farmers, vintners, foragers and prepared food stands. Walking up and down the rows, you’ll find everything from organic and heirloom produce of the Hood River and Willamette valleys to killer grab-and-go bites. On a Saturday morning, I’m headed to Pine State Biscuits for one of Portland’s iconic sandwiches—the Reggie Deluxe... fried chicken, bacon, cheese, gravy and a fried egg all piled onto a fresh biscuit.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Business Booming at World Market Center

8 News NOW

TRAVEL + LEISURE

America's Best Pies includes Random Order Coffee, Portland, OR

Random Order Coffee, Portland, OR

Best Pie to Try: Tahitian Vanilla Salted Caramel Apple Pie
This Portland favorite serves a lovely version of the classic American apple pie. But after you’ve tasted their other apple pie, you might decide that the original is a bit dated. This version is oozing with caramel, spiced with vanilla, and sprinkled with salt. It proves that time-old techniques and recipes can coexist with unexpected, mold-breaking tweaks. It’s not so much reinventing the wheel as giving it a makeover. (1800 NE Alberta PDX 97211, Portland OR; 971/340-6995; randomordercoffee.com) —Charlotte Druckman